Impact of Peer Support on Diabetes in China

The prevalence of diabetes has been growing rapidly in developing countries causing a devastating economic burden and increasing demands on healthcare systems. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find cost-effective and multi-faceted approach for diabetes care. Peer support models provide a potentially low-cost, flexible means that is complimentary to the current existing health care services. Trained peer leaders can become qualified extenders to a formal healthcare system, thereby, assisting with the education delivery and bolstering the efforts of the professional staff. To implement a culturally- specific peer support program and determine whether it is acceptable, cost-effective in China is important. This study aims to implement and evaluate biophysical and psychosocial outcomes of a peer support program and to explore it\'s feasibility and sustainability in China